Things to Consider before Applying for Work Visa in Hong Kong

Posted by Vincent Tai on June 13th, 2016

Foreigners who want to work in Hong Kong must obtain a work visa from the Immigration Department before accepting or taking up any kind long term or short term, or paid or unpaid employment. The application process for this visa is not all that straightforward. There are certain things you must consider you apply for a work visa in Hong Kong to make sure that you can increase your chances of getting one and not run into any problems. Here are some of them:

• There is such a thing as ‘the right time’ to get a Hong Kong work visa. The best time and way to get a work visa is after getting an employment offer in Hong Kong. You and your prospective employer must prove that you possess relevant work experience and the unique qualifications that are not readily available and cannot be provided by locals.
  
• It is more difficult to get a work visa while you are in Hong Kong. Some foreigners come to Hong Kong with a visitor visa, look for jobs here, and then apply for a work visa after they have been recruited locally. This is not advisable, as the work visa becomes more difficult and challenging to process. You need to explain why you did not apply for the visa before coming to Hong Kong. Hence, it is advisable to apply for a work visa before entering the country.

• Are you being transferred by your company to Hong Kong? In this type of situation where a company wants to transfer you internally to their Hong Kong office, the application can be straightforward as long as you have been employed by them for quite some time. If you have only been with the company for a few months, your application will most likely be treated as a new application, not an internal transfer application. Moreover, you and your employer must provide evidence as to why your position cannot be filled by a local.
  
• In some, instances, you may not need to get a work visa. Work visas are mandatory for every foreigner who intends to work in Hong Kong unless you have been provided with a Right to Land, an Unconditional Stay, or Right of Abode in Hong Kong.
  
• Get help from a professional to save time and effort. There are one-stop service companies that can assist professionals like yourself in processing your work visa in Hong Kong. They have consultants who can give you and your employer a checklist of documents you will need for your application, complete all the Hong Kong Immigration forms on your behalf, organize and review your documents to make sure that they satisfy the immigration policy, and submit your application to the Immigration Department. They can reply on your behalf to all correspondence and inquiries from immigration, draft and prepare all letters to be submitted to immigration, and monitor the entire application process for you, too.

About the Author:

Capital World Account Services Limited, is the top leading accounting firm in Hong Kong. With years of experience, they assist companies who are looking forward to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong. They strive to provide services like company formation, offshore company formation, Hong Kong Company accounting & audit services, bank account opening services, Hong Kong company secretary services, trademark registration services, virtual office and apostille stamp services. They work with a vision to deliver convenient and efficient services at low cost to meet the different needs of the businesses and provide custom made service to suit every client’s needs.

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